Ship Wastewater Research Articles

Sources of organic matter and carbon stocks in two mangrove sediment cores and surface sediment samples from Qinglan Bay, China

The carbon stocks (Corg stocks) in mangrove sediments and the distribution and source changes of sedimented organic matter in Qinglan Bay are not understood as the mangrove forests decrease. In this paper, we collected two sediment cores in the interior mangrove and 37 surface sediment samples from mangrove-fringe, tidal flat and subtidal habitats and then analysed the total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), and the stable organic carbon isotope (δ13C) and nitrogen isotope (δ15N) in the sediment samples to obtain the organic matter sources and carbon stocks in two different mangrove sediment cores from Qinglan Bay. The δ13C and TOC/TN values showed that mangrove plants and algae were the main sources of organic matter. Relatively high contributions of mangrove plants (>50 %) were distributed in the mangrove areas in Wenchang estuary, the northern region of Bamen Bay and the eastern side of the Qinglan tidal inlet. The enriched δ15N values might be related to anthropogenic nutrient inputs, including increased aquaculture wastewater, human sewage and ship wastewater. The Corg stocks in cores Z02 and Z03 were 357.79 Mg C ha−1 and 265.78 Mg C ha−1, respectively. This Corg stock difference might have been related to the salinity and the benthos activities. The high Corg stock values measured in Qinglan Bay were caused by the mangrove maturity and stand age. The total Corg storage of the mangrove ecosystem in Qinglan Bay was estimated to be approximately 263.93 Gg C. This study contributes to organic carbon stocks and sources of sedimented organic matter in global mangroves.

An integrated full-scale system for the treatment of real ship domestic wastewater: Shore-test experiments

With the increasing number of ocean-sailing ships, the pollution of the oceans' water caused by the discharge of ship wastewater has become one of the serious concerns for the whole world. Most of existing ship wastewater treatment studies were carried out in bench/pilot-scale and cannot meet the latest discharge standards of International Maritime Organization (IMO) and China. To overcome those barriers and prepare for the onboard test, we evaluated the hydraulic retention time (HRT) variations (10.5-12 h) for treating low COD/TN ship wastewater by a full-scale oxic-anoxic micro-sludge membrane biofilm reactor (O-AMSMBR) system. The full-scale O-AMSMBR achieved over 82 % removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and 76 % removal of total nitrogen (TN) from a ship wastewater with continuous operation at a HRT of 10.5 h. Although anoxic membrane biofilm partly compensated for the deterioration of TN removal in performance of the aerobic sludge, the effluent TN concentrations still cannot meet IMO discharge standards at HRT as low as 9 h due to the inhibition of simultaneous nitrification and denitrification (SND) by low HRT and C/N. Wavelet Neural Networks (WNN) was used to explore the removal mechanism under HRT variations. Simulation results show that HRT andinfluent pollutant’s concentration are the two most sensitive factors for COD and TN removal in daily operation so special attention should be paid to the dramatic change of influent flow rate in ship sewage treatment operation. In particular, techno-economic analysis was conducted in this study to provides a baseline for developing economic options for ship wastewater treatment in practice.

Design and Implementation of Wastewater Pollutant Data Analysis and Visualization System for Vessels

To monitor the discharge of water pollutants from vessels, a monitoring system for the discharge of water pollutants from vessels has been established on the Yangtze River. The system generates tens of thousands of ship wastewater pollutant data every day. The analysis and visualization of wastewater pollutant discharge data can help the monitoring department to grasp the discharge situation and improve the accuracy of supervision. This system extracts the data to the data warehouse in real-time based on the data extraction technology, improves the query efficiency based on the three-level storage architecture, makes real-time pollutant data statistics based on the stream computing technology, and realizes the visual display of the data based on the front-end and back end-separation technology. The system has been applied in the maritime supervision department to provide a data basis for vessel wastewater pollutant supervision and decision-making.

Microplastics in Ship Sewage and Solutions to Limit Their Spread: A Case Study

The case study presented in the paper is the first in the field to find microplastic (MP) particles in both grey water (GW) and post-treatment sewage (TS) samples, which can also be legally discharged into specially protected areas. Compiling a data set of 50 water samples collected from the GW and TS samples of 5 transport ships involved in the case study, we show that the mean number of separated microparticles in the GW samples n = 72 particles per litre, and in the TS samples n = 51 particles per litre. Of the 614 separated particles, the most common were fibres n = 285 (46.4%), followed by other (various) hard particles n = 226 (36.8%) and soft particles n = 104 (16.8%). Attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR FT-IR) identification was mainly in the form polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) (solid particles and films), polyesters, polyamides, and acrylic fibres. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis revealed ecotoxic chemical elements on the surface of these particles. Our results show that the sewage treatment facilities installed on ships need to be improved, and we developed a solution for this. The findings of the case study certainly deserve further attention and serve as an impetus for research on the improvement of ship wastewater treatment facilities.

Wastewater treatment for ships experiencing large temperature changes： the activated sludge/membrane-biofilm reactor

A particular challenge to treatment systems for ship wastewater comes from low and variable temperatures. We evaluated the temperature response (35–15 °C) of a novel biological treatment system involving activated sludge followed by a membrane-biofilm reactor: the activated sludge/membrane-biofilm reactor (AS-ABfMemR). In this study, a pilot-scale AS-ABfMemR achieved over 96% chemical oxygen demand (COD) and 94% total nitrogen (TN) removal from a ship wastewater (550–960 mgCOD·L−1 and 52–77 mgTN·L−1) with a continuous operation with a hydraulic retention time of 12 h at 25 °C. The effluent COD and TN concentrations met IMO discharge standards at temperatures as low as 17 °C, which reduced the energy consumption for wastewater heating. The COD and TN removals of the biofilm stage became important (up to 34% and 35%, respectively) at low temperatures, and this compensated for the deterioration in performance of the aerobic sludge. The genus Azospira dominated in the biofilm's denitrification removal for TN at low temperature. In addition, the buildup of trans-membrane pressure was so slow that backwashing was not needed over the 90 days of continuous operation. These conclusions indicate that the pilot-scale AS-ABfMemR technology is an effective way for real ship sewage treatment under temperature variations.

Sources and Leakages of Microplastics in Cruise Ship Wastewater

To date, the contribution of sea-based sources to the global marine litter and plastic pollution problem remains poorly understood. Cruise ships produce large amounts of wastewater and concentrate their activities in fragile and ecologically valuable areas. This paper explores for the first time the sources of microplastics in cruise ship wastewater, as well as their pathways from source to sea. It thereto uses a novel approach for the identification of sources and pathways, based on scientific literature on microplastic sources and pathways, literature on cruise operations and wastewater management as well as a questionnaire among cruise lines. The study highlights personal care and cosmetic products, cleaning and maintenance products and synthetic microfibers released from textiles in laundry as relevant source categories. Untreated grey water and the overboard discharge of biosludge, resulting from the treatment of sewage and grey water, were identified as key pathways. Cruise lines can reduce microplastic emissions by adapting their purchasing policies for personal care, cosmetic, cleaning and maintenance products and professional textiles. In addition, the holistic management of all wastewater streams and resulting waste products is essential to prevent leakages of microplastics from cruise ships to vulnerable coastal and marine ecosystems. Furthermore, the approach can be used to guide company-level assessments and can be modified to address microplastic leakages in other maritime sectors.

Detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in commercial passenger aircraft and cruise ship wastewater: a surveillance tool for assessing the presence of COVID-19 infected travellers.

BackgroundWastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can be an important source of information for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) management during and after the pandemic. Currently, governments and transportation industries around the world are developing strategies to minimize SARS-CoV-2 transmission associated with resuming activity. This study investigated the possible use of SARS-CoV-2 RNA wastewater surveillance from airline and cruise ship sanitation systems and its potential use as a COVID-19 public health management tool.MethodsAircraft and cruise ship wastewater samples (n = 21) were tested for SARS-CoV-2 using two virus concentration methods, adsorption–extraction by electronegative membrane (n = 13) and ultrafiltration by Amicon (n = 8), and five assays using reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and RT-droplet digital PCR (RT-ddPCR). Representative qPCR amplicons from positive samples were sequenced to confirm assay specificity.ResultsSARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in samples from both aircraft and cruise ship wastewater; however concentrations were near the assay limit of detection. The analysis of multiple replicate samples and use of multiple RT-qPCR and/or RT-ddPCR assays increased detection sensitivity and minimized false-negative results. Representative qPCR amplicons were confirmed for the correct PCR product by sequencing. However, differences in sensitivity were observed among molecular assays and concentration methods.ConclusionsThe study indicates that surveillance of wastewater from large transport vessels with their own sanitation systems has potential as a complementary data source to prioritize clinical testing and contact tracing among disembarking passengers. Importantly, sampling methods and molecular assays must be further optimized to maximize detection sensitivity. The potential for false negatives by both wastewater testing and clinical swab testing suggests that the two strategies could be employed together to maximize the probability of detecting SARS-CoV-2 infections amongst passengers.

Effect of pH on Pollutants Removal of Ship Sewage Treatment in an Innovative Aerobic-Anaerobic Micro-Sludge MBR System

The implementation of the latest International Maritime Organization (IMO) emission standard has raised stringent requirements for marine domestic sewage discharge. In this study, a novel aerobic-anaerobic micro-sludge membrane bioreactor (O-AMSMBR) was used to analyze the effect of pH variation on the effluent chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total nitrogen (TN) for marine domestic sewage. Results showed that the novel MBR achieved better COD and TN removal efficiency (Ravg(COD) = 87.77% and Ravg(TN) = 91.01%). In acid environment (pH = 5), anaerobic micro-sludge MBR technology can enhance the pollutants removal efficiency under pH shock. These two findings indicated that anaerobic micro-sludge membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology has great potential in acidity or alkalinity wastewater treatment. The activity of six different enzymes was analyzed in this study. The results showed that nitrate reductase and nitrite reductase can serve as special indicating factors for anaerobic micro-sludge MBR technology on domestic ship sewage. Moreover, wavelet neural network (WNN) and back-propagation neural network (BPNN) were used to simulate the effect of pH on reactor performance. The order of relative importance inculcated that pH is the key factor to consider for biodegradation of organic matter in O-AMSMBR system. The outcomes of this study suggest that post-anaerobic integrated with micro-sludge methods can play a vital role in keeping good pollutant degradation in ship wastewater treatment under pH shift.

Nitrogen removal augmentation of ship sewage by an innovative aerobic-anaerobic micro-sludge MBR technology

Abstract The implementation of latest International Maritime Organization (IMO) emission standard has raised stringent nitrogen requirements for marine domestic sewage discharge. In order to meet new discharge standards, novel aerobic-anaerobic micro-sludge membrane bioreactor (O-AMSMBR) for chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total nitrogen (TN) removal from ship sewage is proposed. Results indicated that novel MBR achieved better COD and TN removal efficiency (Ravg(COD) = 91.6% and Ravg(TN) = 88.07%). The amount of anaerobic sludge in O-AMSMBR was reduced by 80% however TN removal rate was 10% higher than traditional Membrane Bio-Reactors (MBRs) technology. Based on the analysis of sludge characteristics, high TN removal efficiency is achieved via collective role of simultaneous nitrification and denitrification (SND) and “anaerobic micro-sludge effect”. Microbial community analysis also revealed that Rhodobacter and Pseudomonas are dominant species in anaerobic zone, which has a direct relationship with “anaerobic micro-sludge effect”. Further, transmembrane Pressure (TMP) showed that “anaerobic micro-sludge effect” not only has a positive effect on pollutants removal but also can suspend membrane fouling. The outcomes of this study suggest that post-anaerobic integrated with micro-sludge methods played a vital role in keeping good pollutant degradation in ship wastewater treatment. The presented results can provide new insights into ship sewage treatment by MBR technology.

Waste Disposal Rate of Small Fishing Vessel ( < 5GT) in PPN Karangantu

The research was conducted to know waste disposal for small fishing vessel (< 5GT) in PPN Karangantu. Research is done in August until November at PPN Karangantu. The aim for the research is analizing waste disposal rate of small fishing vessel (<5GT) at PPN Karangantu. Methods used in research is the survey method and laboratory analysis. Waste disposal a ship were analysed in the water out of a ship and waters in the area of a ship are docked. The parameter that is a ammonia, magnesium, copper , zinc , phenol , oils and fats. The ammonia in waters higher than the ammonia on a ship waste water. Magnesium, copper, zinc, fatty oil and phenol inversely proportional to the waste water ammonia of value in a ship is higher than in waters

Chemical and microbiological characterization of cruise vessel wastewater discharges under repair conditions

Cruise ship wastewater discharges are pollution sources towards the marine environment that are poorly characterized. In this study, wastewater samples from cruise ships have been obtained during repair works in a shipyard. Different organic pollutants have been analyzed and their concentrations were similar to those in urban wastewaters for pharmaceuticals and fragrances, but higher for UV filters and PAHs. For the first time, cypermethrin, a pesticide highly toxic towards aquatic species, was found at relevant concentrations (>1 µg L^-1). The faecal microorganisms were for all parameters higher than 10^4 CFU 100 mL^-1, which together with the presence of antibiotic compounds in wastewater (e.g., triclosan), could potentially lead to the generation of antibiotic resistance bacteria (ARB). The historical position of cruise ships, determined from the Automatic Identification System (AIS), were used to define the time ships were underway, at port, or in repair. From ship's passenger and crew load, and from estimates of discharges the total volume of wastewater produced by these ships (371,000 m^3 year^-1) and the average flow (0.15 ± 0.03 m^3crew^-1 day^-1) were calculated.

A novel eco-friendly advanced enzymatic Fenton oxidation process for the treatment of ship wastewater

A novel eco-friendly advanced enzymatic Fenton oxidation process for the treatment of ship wastewater

The significance of dilution in evaluating possible impacts of wastewater discharges from large cruise ships

In response to public concerns about discharges from large cruise ships, Alaska’s Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) sampled numerous effluents in the summer of 2000. The data showed that basic marine sanitation device (MSD) technology for black water (sewage) was not performing as expected. Untreated gray water had high levels of conventional pollutants and surprisingly high levels of bacteria. Both black water and gray water discharges sometimes exceeded state water quality standards for toxicants. The state convened a Science Advisory Panel (the Panel) to evaluate impacts associated with cruise ship wastewater discharges. The effluent data received wide media coverage and increased public concerns. Consequently, legislative decisions were made at the State and Federal level, and regulations were imposed before the Panel completed its evaluation. The Panel demonstrated that following the rapid dilution from moving cruise ships, the effluent data from the Summer of 2000 would not have exceeded water quality standards, and environmental effects were not expected.

MONITORING OIL CONTENT IN SHIPBOARD WASTE WATER DISCHARGES BY USE OF A MULTI-PHASED DYE TRANSFER PROCESS

ABSTRACT In order to meet the monitoring requirements to control the oil content in ship waste water discharges, the United States Navy has developed a new methodology for measuring oil in water over the range of 1-200 ppm. This new technique offers an instrument which is reliable, low-cost, small in physical size, and accurate even in the presence of solids, detergents, and other contaminants while relatively independent of the type of oil. A portable shipboard unit employing this technique has been designed and constructed and is currently under evaluation by the U.S. Navy. The multiphasic oil-in-water measurement process offers significant advantages in reliability and operational simplicity and points the way to hardware development in two classes: (1) a hand-portable, semi-automatic system for field or occasional shipboard use; and (2) a fully-automatic and continuous monitoring system capable of telemetering contamination information at preset alarm levels.